Oh! Gizmo

By Andrew Liszewski

Over the years I’m pretty sure I’ve had at least one piece of fruitcake that was actually edible, but for the most part those logs of candied cherries remain a traditional Christmas gag. And given the fact that fruitcakes rarely get eaten, why spend all that money shipping the real thing to your boss, ex-wife or other assorted enemies when you can send this inflatable version instead?

To an inebriated Christmas party guest the Inflatable Fruitcake probably looks like the real thing, but they’re actually better than the real thing because A) You don’t have to eat it. B) Even being made of vinyl they’re probably less toxic than the real thing if you do, and C) They’re easier and cheaper to mail since they can be sent inside a standard sized envelope.

So if you’re interested in sending someone an Inflatable Fruitcake as a gift, you can do so on their website for just $9.50, shipping included. But if you want to order 2 or more, you’ll have to visit Archie McPhee instead.

[ Inflatable Fruitcake ] VIA [ bookofjoe ]

By Andrew Liszewski

I have absolutely no idea why anyone would want to fry an egg in the shape of a classic six-shooter, but who am I stand in the way of someone’s dreams? This stainless steel mold features a collapsible handle for lifting the stencil when it’s hot, and presumably it can also be used for cutting gun-shaped cookies or pastries. Perfect for that NRA brunch you’ve been planning. It’s available from LatestBuy Australia for about $6.50.

[ Frying Gun Egg Stencil ]

By Luke Anderson

When I set out to buy something, I tend to do my research beforehand. I like knowing that it has the features I like, and that other customers were satisfied with its performance. There’s nothing worse than getting something, only to find out that it doesn’t work as advertised. So what happens when you come across a product that advertises it’s lack of functionality as a feature?

I give you the Nihilist flavorless mints. By definition, a mint is a candy flavored with mint. Thus one can only conclude that a mint with no flavor cannot be named as such. All naming issues aside, I think we can all agree that these are the most pointless mints that one can buy. Then again, I suppose that’s the point. If you want to wax philosophical over the pointlessness of existence, then pick up a pack of 60 Nihilist mints for $5 and enjoy, or don’t.

[ McPhee ] VIA [ Uberreview ]

By Evan Ackerman

I like lemonade. I like it a lot, in fact. But if there’s one thing that lemonade absolutely sucks at, it’s telling you what time it is. So next time you find yourself with some spare lemons, chop them up and stick them onto the Citrus Clock. The clock is made with two spikes of copper and zinc to impale the lemons on, and will run for a week using the juice contained in one lemon thanks to black magic electrolysis. It doesn’t have to be a lemon, either… Anything acidic will do. Like limes. Or potatoes. Or a battery.

The Citrus Clock doesn’t seem to be commercially available, but hey, you can make one at home! Or better yet, just go to any middle school science fair and steal one.

Citrus Clock ] VIA [ Core77 ]

By Andrew Liszewski

Hospitals are already at the top of my ‘places I’d prefer not to visit‘ list, so I’ll probably never be popping into the Hospitālis if I happen to feel a bit peckish while visiting Latvia. From what I can tell, the restaurant was created by two doctors (correct me if I’m wrong) and not only is it decorated in the ‘gleaming white meets stainless steel’ motif of an operating room, but it also features a special ‘crazy’ menu. In fact the website warns that the preparation of some of the items on the menu can be quite shocking, and before ordering the Debilitas Dementia Hysterica Universalus Grave or the Compressio Cerebri Cum Oculus Dextros Left Sive, you’ll actually need to sign an informative patient agreement.

[ Hospitālis ] VIA [ Optical Poptitude ]

By Andrew Liszewski

After seeing these spoons made from gingerbread, I think I’m going to hire product designer Matilda Sundén Ringnér as a full-time chef to replace all of the cutlery and utensils in my kitchen drawers. If you thought eating sugary cereals like Cocoa Puffs or Froot Loops were as far from you could get from a healthy breakfast, imagine eating them with a chocolate chip cookie spoon.

[ Gingerspoons ] VIA [ Cribcandy ]

By Andrew Liszewski

Anyone who’s ever spent time waiting at a bar for their drink will appreciate the Trufill beverage dispenser concept from Scotsman Beverage Systems. The device is apparently set to revolutionize the beverage dispensing industry by filling glasses from the bottom instead of the top. Besides looking like a nifty parlor trick, the Trufill can apparently fill 10 pints of beer in just 10 seconds, which will not only increase the amount of hooch that can be sold in a given time, but will also reduce labor costs by up to 80%.

Now the details on the how the Trufill system works are a little vague right now, but I’m going to take an educated guess and say that Scotsman has somehow managed to manipulate matter on the quantum level, overcoming such issues as the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, to essentially transfer the beverage from a holding tank directly into the glass. Kind of like the transporters they use on that popular star trekking show. If I’m right, Scotsman’s new technology will have other groundbreaking uses, like filling Twinkies with cream or even Caramilk chocolate bars with caramel. What a time to be alive…

[ FOODBEV - Scotsman turns the beverage world upside down ] VIA [ UberReview ]

By Andrew Liszewski

The Power Plant Mini looks to be a full proof way to grow your own herbs all year round, whether you’ve never had much success with a garden, or simply don’t have room for one. All you need to do is plant your choice of seeds in the special ‘grow sponges’ and then make sure the water reservoir is filled with a mix of H20 and an included nutrient mix. The Power Plant Mini does need to be plugged in and placed near a sunny window, but after that it appears to be completely autonomous. All you have to do is sit back and wait for your crop of basil, cilantro (shudder), chives, parsley or whatever other ‘herbs’ you’d prefer to grow in the safety comfort of your own home.

The Power Plant Mini is available on the Prepara website for a reasonable $39.95, while a 3-pack of grow sponges and a 1.6oz container of the nutrient refill are $9.95 each.

[ Prepara Power Plant Mini ] VIA [ The Red Ferret Journal ]

By Andrew Liszewski

Who says office snacks have to be limited to a bowl of mints or a handful of jelly beans? If you want to guarantee your desk is ‘the place the be’ in your office why not setup this miniature Sugar Bunnies Choco Fountain? While most chocolate fountains use a heating element and require an easy-melting type of chocolate, the Choco Fountain uses regular old chocolate syrup instead. So there’s no hazard when it comes to a heating element, and the only thing that needs power is the pump which runs on 3 C-sized batteries. Since it’s available from the Japan Trend Shop, it only comes with a Japanese manual, but for just $69 it’s a small price to pay for a personal chocolate fountain sitting on your desk.

[ Choco Fountain Sugar Bunnies ]